Mountaineer Spotlight
Learn more about West Virginia University students, faculty and staff.
WVUToday on the radio
Meet the Grads radio spot - May 13, 2025
Transcript
Shauna Johnson: At West Virginia University, Mountaineers go first. We're celebrating the class of 2025, the newest members of the Mountaineer Alumni family.
Mackenzie Early: My name is Mackenzie Early. I am from Martinsburg, West Virginia, and I am graduating with a degree in psychology and a degree in criminology. My sophomore and junior year of my classes, I was about to give up because I was like, I can't pass these classes. I thought about everything and I was like, how would my family feel with this if I would leave? What would happen to me in the future? I studied, I was able to finally pass the classes that I needed to get and to finish my degrees. You're very welcomed here, and it's kind of like a family.
Emily Wechner: My name is Emily Wechner. I am majoring in sports and adventure media with an emphasis and adventure, and I'm from Parkersburg, West Virginia. One of the biggest things that I will remember is meeting my husband here and going through school together and just having each other side by side, just to go through it together. I just love being a Mountaineer. I'm a Mountaineer at heart and I will always carry that with me.
Shauna Johnson: Keegan Mallory is a game design and interactive media major from Cape and Bridge.
Keegan Mallory: I plan to stay with the studio, MonRiverGames here at the university. It's a wonderful platform for me to keep continuing game development and any facet of marketing and design and anything you could ask for. So I'm going to stay and work with them and see if I can get an internship or a job at a big studio, or a little one, and move out west or to New York, or wherever it takes me.
Riley Norman: My name is Riley Norman and I'm from Lewisburg, West Virginia. I'm currently a senior and my major is management information systems. I had no idea what I wanted to do as a freshman. I kind of had an idea just because I really liked technology and all the things that you can do with that, but I had no idea about the potential job paths that West Virginia University would bring me. Everyone is just so kind and welcoming, and I've always felt like that I had a place here, so it's comforting to come this far from home, but still feel at home.
Katie Short: My name is Katie Short. I'm an advertising and public relations major from Cowan, West Virginia. I want to make people's voices heard. I think throughout all of the classes I've had, that's been one thing that's really underlined in my education, that the purpose of this is to uplift the voices that are not heard and bring light to the issues that people don't usually pay attention to. So wherever I'm at, I hope I'm doing that. Having the time to dedicate your life to just education, this phase of my life is a privilege, and something I hope I can continue on later, I can pursue again. There are so many incredible people here, you just have to look for them, and I loved my time and everybody I met.
Shauna Johnson: So let's go, follow our stories at Wvutoday.wvu.edu.
Additional News and Information
WVU Experts
West Virginia University experts can provide commentary, insights and opinions on various news topics.
Latest Expert Pitch
As warmer weather beckons everyone outdoors, a West Virginia University expert reminds people to take cover from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can cause deadly skin cancers like melanoma.
Search for a WVUToday expert
Research at WVU
West Virginia University researchers are changing how college mathematics is taught by evaluating and sharing a model for problem-solving that supports what students learn in other courses like business or biology.
West Virginia University contributes to and supports The Conversation, an international news source that seeks out academics to provide independent, high quality, authenticated, explanatory journalism to promote better understanding of current affairs and complex issues.
Read StoriesAbout
WVUToday is the source for news and information regarding West Virginia University.
Media Outlets: Please be advised that content viewed on WVUToday is intended for publication. West Virginia University grants editorial usage of content presented on WVUToday in your legacy and online publications. Credit should be given to WVU/Strategic Communications and Marketing.
Contact
Call 1-855-WVU-NEWS for the latest WVU news and information.
Strategic Communications and Marketing, Office of Communications
West Virginia University
2nd Floor Marina Tower, 48 Donley St.
P.O. Box 6688, Morgantown, WV 26506-6688
304-293-6997